Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide
compound, which are neurotransmitters, chemicals which are directly involved in
the brain’s electro-chemical workings.
They are produced by the pituitary gland and
the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise, excitement, pain, consumption
of spicy food and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to
produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being.
According to some reports, laughter releases
endorphins in the brain, and long-distance runners also refer to this state as runner’s
high, and strenuous exercise takes a person over a threshold that
activates endorphin production.
Endorphins regulate feelings of hunger and are
connected to the production of sex hormones.
The euphoria described by people who engage in
BDSM is attributed to endorphins too, and one theory of why some people find
BDSM activities pleasurable is that these activities stimulate this chemical
compound in a controlled way.
In 1999, clinical researchers reported that
inserting the acupuncture needles into specific body points triggers the
production of endorphins, and these neurotransmitters regulate feelings of
pain, as they work as natural pain killers, and from the BDSM
point of view endorphins are naturally-occurring opiate-like chemicals produced
in the brain in response to pain, which block pain and can produce an euphoric
sensation.
High endorphin levels cause a feeling of
euphoria.
Endorphins were first discovered in 1975
by John Hughes and Hans Kosterlitz in the
brain of a pig, and how endorphins work is not fully understood, but what is
certain is that endorphins bind to the opioid receptors in the brain, and they
uninhibit the dopamine pathways, causing more dopamine to be
released into the synapses.
The term endorphin consists
of two parts: endo- and -orphin; and these
are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended
to mean a morphine-like substance originating from within the body.
The term endorphin rush has
been adopted in popular speech to refer to feelings of exhilaration brought on
by pain, danger, or other forms of stress, supposedly due to the influence of
endorphins, and when a nerve impulse reaches the spinal cord, endorphins are
released which prevent nerve cells from releasing more pain signals.
Immediately after injury, endorphins allow
humans to feel a sense of power and control over themselves that allows them to
persist with activity for an extended time, and BDSM activities, especially
those incorporating a degree of sensation play often cultivate the endorphin
rush as part of their payoff to the sub, however, also see
aftercare for the care needed to ensure that sub drop does not
occur afterwards as the body returns to normal.
The sensitive, careful and methodical
application of pain can move the pain threshold higher, enabling the bottom to
tolerate higher levels of pain, thereby receiving the benefits of higher
endorphin levels.
To the bottom, the pain will not seem to
increase, even though the physical trauma upon the body does. This is because
as endorphin levels rise, the pain becomes deadened.
Attention! The fact that the pain is deadened
must never make you lose sight of the physical trauma you are causing, and do
not abuse your responsibility for your bottom’s safety just because the
euphoria of a endorphin rush makes your bottom a little giddy.
In order to stimulate the release of
endorphins, the top should gradually increase the pain level until it nears the
pain threshold, and after reaching the threshold, lower the intensity and allow
the endorphins which the pain released to work their magic, nullifying the
pain.
When the top once again begins to increase the
pain, the endorphins which the previous cycle released allow the bottom to
tolerate a higher level of pain, and the now higher level of pain releases even
more endorphins, and the cycle begins again.
Remember that it takes the body about ten
minutes to generate the chemicals for another one, and you must continue
stimulating the body for at least ten minutes in some manner, light flogging
for example, before the body will be ready to release another portion of
endorphins.
Patience is a virtue here, and there are
several difficulties you may run into, as they can discourage you, but do not
let them!
Keep them in mind, watch for them, and when
they occur, alter your technique until you find that unique formula that works
for you and your bottom, and sometimes, subtle changes in technique can produce
dramatic results.
Sometimes, the pain threshold will hit a
plateau, refusing to rise further., and if this happens, a complete break in
activity for a few moments, a few minutes or longer might be in order.
Every bottom has a certain point beyond which
even the best technique cannot take them, and this point can vary from day to
day, and just because the bottom hit a new high yesterday, does not mean he or
she will hit it again today.
If you try every technique you can think of to
get beyond the plateau, but to no avail, it’s just not the right day, as you
should accept what comes.
Another common problem is hypersensitivity,
which causes the pain threshold to drop dramatically, and those of you who have
had large tattoos done know how it works.
You are playing, having a great time, the
bottom is on a major endorphin high and you are loving it, and suddenly, the
bottom safes out, you take a break and then get back into it, but after the
break even love taps are too painful.
What went wrong?
Hypersensitivity seems to happen most often
when you have been pushing too far, too fast, and playing right around the
threshold is physically and mentally stressful, and too much of it will wear
the bottom out.
Make sure when you bring him or her back down,
and leave plenty of time for rest.
Endorphin highs are a great reward, but they take
hard work, and if you are not successful after a few attempts, do not give up,
as even an experienced player takes time to learn a new bottom, and as a novice
you have to learn the bottom while learning the technique.
Just work slowly, stay determined, and look
for small signs of success, because these small successes will tell you what
works for the bottom, and eventually, with patience, you will get it.
~END~
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